Autism - how important is it for 'Atypical' to get it right?

1of6Sam (Keir Gilchrist), who has high-functioning autism, wants a girlfriend but struggles to navigate the social aspects of high school, taking notes on his "research," in "Atypical," a new Netflix series.Photo: Netflix

3of6Sam (Keir Gilchrist), who has high-functioning autism, wants a girlfriend but struggles to navigate the social aspects of high school, taking notes on his "research," in "Atypical," a new Netflix series.Photo: Netflix

4of6Elsa (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is on her own journey of self-discovery as her son gains independence in "Atypical."Photo: Netflix

5of6Sam (Keir Gilchrist), who has high-functioning autism, wants a girlfriend but struggles to navigate the social aspects of high school, taking notes on his "research," in "Atypical," a new Netflix series.Photo: Netflix

6of6"Atypical," starringÂ Jennifer Jason Leigh, left, and Brigette Lundy-Paine, explores the dynamics of a family in which one member has autism.Photo: Netflix

"I'm a weirdo. That's what everyone says," our narrator, Sam, says as he flicks a pencil against a rubber band over and over in the opening scene of Netflix's new series, "Atypical." "Sometimes I don't know what people mean when they say things, and that can make me feel alone even when there are other people in the room."

It's an interesting time to watch TV if someone in your family has a disability.

In recent years, America and I, the mother of a boy with autism, have seen television begin to tell the stories of those who haven't seen anyone like them on the small screen before. The misunderstood, the misfits, people who've been "othered" by society can tune in and perhaps relate for the first time (see: "Speechless" and "The Big Bang Theory"). And we "normal" viewers maybe are not only entertained but enlightened, at least a little - whether or not that was the writers' intent.

"Atypical," which was released for streaming Friday, is a coming-of-age comedy about Sam, a high school senior with autism who decides he wants a girlfriend. Sam (Keir Gilchrist, "United States of Tara") misunderstands social cues, takes figures of speech literally and clings to rules and routines because they help him make sense of his world.

The series also explores the journeys of his parents, particularly the overly protective Elsa (Jennifer Jason Leigh) but also Doug (Michael Rapaport), and spunky younger sister Casey (Brigette Lundy-Paine) as they discover nobody's really normal.

The official clinical term for Sam's condition is autism spectrum disorder - the "spectrum" part is important because the impaired social interaction and communication, repetitive behaviors, narrow range of interests and, often, sensory issues vary widely from person to person.

In layman's terms, Sam's brand of autism is called "high-functioning," or what until the past couple of years was referred to as Asperger syndrome. "Aspies" generally have a limited understanding of others' feelings, but their intellect isn't affected.

The show's creator and executive producer, Robia Rashid ("How I Met Your Mother," "The Goldbergs," "Will & Grace") said she was met with "blank stares" when she pitched the story idea, but as more people get an autism diagnosis, "it seemed like a really cool point of view" to tell a story we've all seen before - one about finding love.

"It was important for me to get it right and to do it justice," Rashid said.

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'Atypical'

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So did she?

Authentic elements

The first few of the eight episodes clearly showed the "Atypical" team had done its homework. I identified with the super-stressed Elsa looking at a blog I peruse called Autism With a Side of Fries and smiled at a bathroom mirror in the family's home that held a reminder to Sam to put on deodorant (similar grooming instructions are in my son's and nephews' bathrooms).

I LOL'd when Doug says to Sam, "The proof is in the pudding," to which Sam responds, "I don't like pudding." And when Sam's therapist, Julia, tells him that if he wants to date, he just has to put himself "out there," Sam asks, "Out where?" In my house, when Spider-Man is set to bring a bad guy to justice, my son asks, "Where's Justice, Mom?"

"Atypical" shows enough of these resources, tools and traits without beating viewers over the head with them - after all, nobody wants to binge-watch 30-minute installments of a documentary on autism. But some of the references are pretty "inside baseball," which made me wonder: Who is the intended audience?

Rashid said the show is both for the "community that doesn't feel represented, the families with first-hand experience" with autism, and for a broader viewership, noting how common it is to feel "connected to your family and also sort of resentful of it."

Speaking of the family, much of the dynamics rings true. What doesn't: Elsa, after failing to dissuade Sam from accompanying her to the mall, purposely bringing up his triggers. As someone who often is waiting for the other shoe to drop, I can't fathom this mother asking a kid who's humming along just fine if he wants his sunglasses because of the store's harsh lighting or his noise-canceling headphones because of the beeping cash register.

But where I could appreciate some similarities between Sam and my son, someone with higher-functioning autism would need to weigh in on that aspect of the show's authenticity. And so I found myself on a leather sectional watching a 17-year-old and his mother watch the first episode.

One Aspie's perspective

Chris Garner sat, fingers sometimes in his ears, presumably to block out the panting of Henry, a black standard poodle, while he watched. He didn't chuckle or nod at the parts I had or when his mother, Kristi, did.

"I completely agree with the lack of ability to make friends. I find it hard, what to say," said the rising Memorial High School senior who got a diagnosis of high-functioning autism in the fourth grade.

Chris prefers science fiction and history to "stuff that's in the real zone. I usually (watch) stuff to get out of the real zone for a minute."

"The dad is probably the most likable person there," Chris continued. "He's malleable ... he tries."

On the other hand, "parents of kids with autism should not be like the mother; otherwise, the kids will lack experience when they go out on their own," he said. "(Overprotection) makes it worse because it makes them feel isolated. They need to be with people."

Spoken like a truly typical teenager.

Kristi Garner, the minister at Addicks United Methodist Church, found Sam "pretty true, but I had trouble with the mother. … (Confronting the counselor about encouraging Sam to date) was way over the top."

Still, she acknowledged the sentiment is based in reality. "As a parent, your worst fear is of someone taking advantage of your kid."

Both mother and son said the sibling relationship between Sam and Casey is "spot on." Chris and Hanna, his 15-year-old sister, "hate each other at home, but only she can hit him," Kristi said with a smile.

Chris had a twofold complaint with "Atypical": first, that the sensory issues Sam has, such as needing noise-canceling headphones or feeling discomfort with soft touch rather than hard pressure, tend to be less common in high-functioning autists than lower-functioning ones. He acknowledged, however, that the headphones he sometimes uses "help me focus," and when he was younger he wore a weighted vest for its soothing pressure.

Second, he found Elsa's fears about Sam crossing the street with his eyes closed, freaking out in a store or hitting a police officer melodramatic.

"I don't think an Asperger kid would go on a murder spree. They're not so weird or offensive," Chris said. "They are aware of their surroundings."

Accuracy versus good storytelling

A lot of social media chatter ahead of the premiere of "Atypical" was from people with high-functioning autism hammering on these points.

Though some were cautiously optimistic, others said mainstream Hollywood wouldn't shed new light on their disorder (I, too, wanted to see more of Sam's successes) and that the show couldn't possibly be accurate since a "neurotypical" actor was cast in the lead role. Some questioned why the TV face of autism is always the quirky white heterosexual male instead of a person of color, female or someone from the LGBT community. (The same complaints about stereotype are likely for ABC's new fall drama "The Good Doctor.")

I admire that people see a responsibility for television to be true to its source material. I appreciate the expectation of advocacy rather than just a reflection of society as seen through one narrow prism.

Most important, for my son and all those with autism coming up behind him, I love the idea of a mainstream TV show playing a part in moving us beyond awareness to acceptance. It's time.

But the fact is, the majority of those getting the diagnosis are white, presumably heterosexual boys (granted, minorities are woefully underdiagnosed). Most studies put the ratio of boys to girls at 4-1, though spectrumnews.org reports the number may be 3.25-1.

And with it by definition being a spectrum disorder, it's not realistic for the first mainstream show with autism at its epicenter to take what's already a composite character and add so many other dimensions - though I hope that comes in later shows. It would do a disservice to the story, diluting its importance.

Rashid is perhaps more diplomatic.

"People are totally entitled to their opinions," she said, calling it "an important and hot-button issue.

"I hope people will watch it first; I don't think it's the show you expect."

Rashid said both autistic and neurotypical actors auditioned for the part of Sam. One with autism, Anthony Jacques, wasn't right for Sam but so impressed Rashid that she had a part written for him. Jacques plays Christopher, a friend of Sam's.

I asked Rashid: Did you consult with anyone on the autism spectrum to make this show?

She researched the subject while writing the pilot. She gave a copy of "The Journal of Best Practices," a memoir by a man with Asperger syndrome, to all the cast and writers. The cast worked with consultant Michelle Dean, who worked at the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment. Some of the crew had family members with autism.

"I tried to inundate myself with as many voices as possible," she said.

So, no, she didn't consult with anyone on the spectrum. Should she have? It couldn't have hurt. But that doesn't mean "Atypical" doesn't have something to say.

It's a blend of comedy and drama that's got "some big laughs and some big cries," Rashid said. "I'm half-Pakistani, half-white, and I grew up in northern Vermont. I never felt normal. The 11-year-old me is freaking out (to get the show made).

Suzanne Garofalo has worked as a senior copy editor for the Houston Chronicle since 2004, primarily on the newspaper's features sections. She also writes feature stories about experiences and programs by and for the disabled in Greater Houston. Garofalo grew up in San Marcos and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor of journalism degree.